Brave New World
by lirpa
Summary: Just another what if Buffy had a cousin story. (X-Men Crossover) Written with shana.
1. Prologue

Brave New World Prologue  
  
Authors: lirpa - liroa15@yahoo.ca  
  
shana  
  
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.  
  
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Marvel, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.  
  
A.N: I don't know very much about the X-Men comics. I own a few, but that's it. I'm apologizing in advance if we screw up the dialects. Just for the record I'm also a grammar freak so the dialects might not be as involved as they normally are.  
  
lirpa  
  
Brave New World Prologue  
  
by lirpa and shana  
  
For countless generations there as been a Chosen One to stop the vampires and demons seeking to destroy the world. There has only ever been one, she who fights silently in the dark and gives her life to save a world oblivious to the danger.  
  
Until now. With the death, and the subsequent resurrection, of Buffy Summers, that all changed. No more is there only one Slayer, now there are two. And they do not fight alone, they are supported by their friends and allies.  
  
Similarly, since the world learned of their existence mutants have been feared, and hated. People who have extraordinary abilities, heightened senses, incredible strength, biokinetic charges, optic blasts, telepathy, and magnetic control, just to name a few have been persecuted. And these people, loathed by the masses, are just trying to find their places in the ever-changing world.  
  
Some, the X-Men, help the human race, despite the hatred directed their way by most normal people, despite being labeled as criminals by many different organizations.  
  
There are the bad mutants, of course. Just as their are bad human beings. These try to destroy the human race to make way for the rise of mutants. It is these people who believe, just as many humans do, that mutants and humans can never live together in peace. And, because of this a war has begun between mutants and humans, while a silent war continues to be waged in the dark by a few brave souls, as it has been for millennia.  
  
The time for the truth, however, has finally arrived. And the truth is this: that Slayers are not "the one girl in all the world chosen to stand against the darkness." They are instead something a little more earthy, they themselves are mutants.  
  
The heightened senses, the incredible strength are due to nothing more than a simple genetic mutation. A mutation that the Watcher's Council became adept at identifying, and exploiting, many years ago. The ability to sense vampires inherent to Slayers nothing more than a spell cast soon after the formation of the Council there is little that marks these girls as otherworldly.  
  
They are, however, a part of a group most despised by the human race, and what they fight, and have fought for centuries, is perhaps the one thing that can once again unite the human race. However, even the Watcher's Council does not know this, it has been lost in the past.  
  
It is not to stay that way, however, because nothing can stay hidden forever. It is come time for the human race to be united again.  
  
Fin Prologue. 


	2. Chapter 1

Brave New World 1  
  
Authors: lirpa - liroa15@yahoo.ca  
  
shana  
  
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.  
  
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Marvel, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.  
  
A.N: I don't know very much about the X-Men comics. I own a few, but that's it. I'm apologizing in advance if we screw up the dialects. Just for the record I'm also a grammar freak so the dialects might not be as involved as they normally are. Also, thank you to everyone who took the time to review the prologue and give us some feedback. It was most appreciated.  
  
lirpa  
  
Brave New World 1  
  
by lirpa and shana  
  
Buffy clutched the yellowed paper tightly to her chest, still shocked at its contents. It was one of more than a dozen letters written by someone named Scott Summers, to her mother, or Aunt Joyce. It was still hard to believe, she had a cousin she'd never even heard of before, who, by the dates on the letters, must be older than her. And even more amazing, it seemed that her mother had written back, told him about their lives.  
  
Often the letters asked about Buffy, how she was doing in school. But never once did they mention Buffy's nightly extracurricular activities. Apparently, her mother had not felt comfortable telling this long lost cousin about her daughter's responsibilities. Not all that unusual, he probably would have thought her insane.  
  
There were no recently dated letters, however. The most recent was a few years old. Buffy felt that she almost came to know her cousin through his correspondence with her mother. But in all the letters there was not one picture of her long lost cousin. He made mention of the pictures Joyce had sent him, but there were no pictures of him hidden away among the pages.  
  
And there were pages and pages. Some of the letters short, barely a page, whole other continued on for ten pages or more. And all came from the same address in Salem, New York.   
  
With a frown Buffy decided to write this family member she had never even known existed. She wished she could call him, but pen and paper would have to do, after she asked Willow to locate Scott Summer and see if he was still living in Salem, New York.  
  
It was more than a week later before Buffy remembered to ask Willow to locate her cousin's present address.  
  
"Hey, Wills," she called one morning just after breakfast.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I was wondering if you could do me a favor."  
  
"Does it have to do with the demony?" Willow asked suspiciously.  
  
Buffy scuffed a toe along the floor. "No."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"I need you to find someone for me."  
  
"Why? Have they committed an unspeakable evil? Like making pacts with demons? Or vampires? Are they going to try to end the world?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Okay, just checking. What is it then?"  
  
"Well, you know how I was going through a box of my Mom's old papers not that long ago?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Well I found some letters."  
  
"To an unnamed lover?" Will's eyes sparked with interest. Deep down, she was still a romantic at heart.  
  
"No, to a cousin I didn't know I had. But the last letter was written a couple years ago and I thought he should be informed of Mom's death."  
  
"So why not just write him?"  
  
"Well, I'm not sure he still lives at the same address."  
  
Understanding lit Willow's eyes. "And you want me to find his current address."  
  
Buffy just nodded.  
  
"Sure. So what's this mysterious cousin's name?"  
  
"Scott Summers. Last time her wrote Mom he was living in a place named Salem New York. At this address," Buffy handed over a scrap of paper on which she had scrawled Scott's address.  
  
Willow smiled. "This should be a piece of cake. Give me a couple of days and I'll have your cousin's address for you."  
  
"Thanks, Wills."  
  
"What are friends for?"  
  
~Couple of days later~  
  
"So what do you have, Willow?" Buffy asked eagerly. The night before she had spent hours sitting at her desk, writing the letter that had turned out to be surprisingly difficult to write. In the end it had come out short, and rather terse, but at least it was done.  
  
"Not much."  
  
Buffy frowned. "How much is not much?"  
  
Willow sighed. "Very little, I'm afraid. Your cousin is very good at hiding."  
  
"That's okay, Wills. Tell me what you do have?"  
  
"Will the address he wrote from is a school. Xavier's school for the Gifted, actually. I was able to find a picture of him on the government website, but very little else."  
  
"The government actually puts people's pictures on its website? Isn't that illegal or something?"  
  
Willow colored, :Well, it wasn't exactly in the public files."  
  
"Oh." Buffy nodded in understanding. "Well, can I see the picture?"  
  
"Sure." And with that Willow punched a few buttons on her computer and a picture of a red haired man, wearing dark glasses, appeared.  
  
"So this is him?" Buffy asked, staring at the face of her cousin.  
  
"Also, there was an announcement in the local paper. It appears he married someone named Jean Grey."  
  
"Thanks, Wills," Buffy said, moving to the door of the room.  
  
"What are you going to do, Buffy?" Willow called after her.  
  
"Go to Salem and see if the people at this school know where he is. What else can I do?"  
  
"But you can't go alone, you never know what kind of demon might try and kill you."  
  
Buffy thought on that for a moment. "I'll take Xander and Faith with me. With all the new Slayers that your spell activated you probably won't need us anyway."  
  
"All right. But Buffy?"  
  
"Yes, Willow?"  
  
"Be careful."  
  
Buffy smiled sadly. "I always am."  
  
~  
  
"So tell me why we're going to Salem, New York again?" Xander complained, leaning back on his plane seat and adjusting his eye patch.  
  
"Because we're looking for B's cousin," faith replied, irritated. By all rights Buffy should be answering all these questions, but she had fallen asleep almost as soon as the plan had taken off.  
  
"But why us?"  
  
"Who knows? At least it gets us out of Cleveland for a while, so stop complaining." Faith settled back, wishing she could follow Buffy into sleep.  
  
"But why couldn't Buffy just write the guy?" Xander whined a moment later.  
  
"Because he hasn't written her Mom in a while and the address on the letters was for a school. He's married now Xander, I doubt he still goes to school.  
  
Xander settled further back into his chair. "This sucks," he declared.  
  
"Well at least we don't have to deal with some of the more annoying new Slayers," Faith pointed out practically.  
  
Xander frowned. "True."  
  
"So just shut up and let me get some sleep. This is going to be a long trip."  
  
  
  
"Fine, fine. Your wish is my command," Xander replied sarcastically.  
  
"Then shut the hell up."  
  
The rest of the plane ride was silent.  
  
~Salem, New York~  
  
Buffy sighed and dug the money she needed to pay the cab driver out of her jeans pocket.  
  
The man accepted the money eagerly, passed Buffy her change through the open window and tore off.  
  
"Well, he obviously doesn't like the place much," Xander observed dryly.  
  
"Can you blame him? This place is something out of a bad horror flick," Faith observed.  
  
Indeed, heavy wrought iron gates rose in front of them, protecting a long drive. At the end of that drive they could barely make out the imposing shadow of what must be the school.  
  
"Looks like a mansion to me," Faith commented idly. "Now are we going to wait for them to notice us standing here or are we going to go introduce ourselves?"  
  
Just then a voice crackled over the speaker built into the gate. "Who are you and what do you want?"  
  
"Well, what's it going to be, B?" Faith asked, muscles tensing in preparation.  
  
Buffy just reached over and squeezed Faith's shoulder in warning, as the vice asked again, impatient now, "Who are you and what do you want?"  
  
With a deep breath Buffy replied. "My name is Buffy Summers. This is Xander Harris and that's Faith. We came looking for my cousin. He wrote my mother, you see, and this is the only address we had."  
  
No one replied but the gate swung slowly open.  
  
"Well?" Xander asked, "are we going to stand her all day or are we going to spend all day trying to get to the school?"  
  
"Mansion," Faith interrupted sharply. "It's most definitely a mansion."  
  
"Willow said it was a school," Xander argued.  
  
"Believe me, I may have never lived in one, but I saw plenty in Boston and that place isn't a school, it's a mansion."  
  
"Maybe it's an old mansion that's been converted into a school," Buffy interjected quietly. "But, regardless, this is the address the letters came from so this is where we start the search."  
  
"Fine," both Faith and Xander grumbled, picking up their bags.  
  
"It's not like they can hurt us either," Faith added on more cheerfully. "I mean, B and I can kick their asses/"  
  
"Well let's go before they change their minds and close the gate," Xander suggested dryly, "and we have to explain why we're here all over again."  
  
With a sigh Buffy picked up her bags and they started their way up the long and winding drive, idly commenting on the perfectly landscaped lawns.  
  
"The guy who owns this place must be loaded," Faith added smugly.  
  
"It's a school," Xander replied with a glare.  
  
"But it could be a private school," Buffy added dryly. "In fact, it most probably is. It sure doesn't looks like Sunnydale High, even before we got done with it."  
  
Xander laughed.  
  
Just then the house came into full view.  
  
"I told you it was a mansion," Faith crowed triumphantly.  
  
"Well then it's definitely a private school," Buffy agreed, staring in wonder at the huge, old  
  
house. "I wonder what Scott did to get here?"  
  
"He's probably a genius like Willow," Xander replied easily.  
  
"Probably," Buffy agreed, still a little dazed.  
  
"Well let's get to that house as quickly as we can, before whoever's watching us starts to get annoyed."  
  
"Watching us?"  
  
"Sure, Buff," Xander agreed. "They'd probably have security cameras all over the place. That's probably how they knew we were at the gate in the first place."  
  
Buffy grumbled rebelliously but said nothing.  
  
"It's makes sense, Buff," Xander added a moment later.  
  
"Now let's get up there before they wonder where the hell we are and what we're doing."  
  
"You afraid of them, Faith?" Xander teased.  
  
"No, but I don't want to meet their idea of a welcoming committee just yet."  
  
Xander frowned. "Good point. Do you think these grounds ever end?"  
  
"They must …. eventually."  
  
"That's not very comforting," Xander growled.  
  
"Poor baby."  
  
A few minutes later they arrived at the front door.  
  
"Now how do we get in?" Buffy asked the air.  
  
"Do you think the door's unlocked?"  
  
"No. You wouldn't want burglars or something walking in."  
  
"True."  
  
"Do you think there's a doorbell or a knocker hanging around somewhere?"  
  
"I don't see one."  
  
"You don't suppose someone is going to let us in?"  
  
Just then the door opened to reveal a short, hairy man. He sniffed the air a few timed like a dog or  
  
wolf would, as if trying to obtain their scents.  
  
"This way, bub," he growled. With a shrug the three Scoobies followed him to an office, where  
  
they were warned not to touch anything, before he departed.  
  
"See?" Faith interjected into the silence. "I told you we didn't want to meet the welcoming committee."  
  
Xander shivered and agreed. "Still, we could have taken him."  
  
  
  
"We?" Faith raised a brow. "More like B and I."  
  
  
  
Xander grumbled for a moment but couldn't think of a properly biting comeback.  
  
All three sat down without further comment, choosing the seats in the most defensible positions unconsciously.  
  
Scott, however, noticed when he entered the room moments later. He had been on security detail when they showed up at the mansion. He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw Buffy standing at the gate. Joyce had said she hadn't even known he existed.  
  
A slight widening of the eyes was the only sign that Buffy recognized Scott at all.  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"Scott," she replied, surprised at how calm her voice came out.  
  
  
  
"And who are your friends?"  
  
  
  
"Xander and Faith."  
  
"So why, exactly, are you here?" Scott plowed on, heedless of the consequences.  
  
"I found some of your old letters to Mom while I was going through the last of her papers."  
  
"Why?" Scott asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well, there's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it. Mom died a couple of years ago."  
  
  
  
"Joyce is dead?" Scott asked, feeling completely numb.  
  
Fin Part 1. 


	3. Chapter 2

Brave New World 2  
  
Authors: lirpa - liroa15@yahoo.ca  
  
shana  
  
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.  
  
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Marvel, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.  
  
A.N: I don't know very much about the X-Men comics. I own a few, but that's it. I'm apologizing in advance if we screw up the dialects. Just for the record I'm also a grammar freak so the dialects might not be as involved as they normally are.  
  
lirpa  
  
Brave New World 2  
  
by lirpa and shana  
  
"Yes, she had a brain tumour." Buffy swallowed, "It was very sudden."  
  
Awkwardly Scoot rose and wrapped his arms around his tiny cousin. "It can't have been easy for you," he soothed indecisively.  
  
Buffy stepped away from him and wiped at her face. "I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to break down like that.:  
  
Scott smiled. "It's okay."  
  
"Yeah B, it's okay." Faith chimed in from the couch.  
  
Buffy turned and shot a venomous glare at the darker Slayer. "Shut up, Faith."  
  
Faith raised her hands in a classic gesture of surrender. Instead she turned her attention to Scott. "So who was short, dark, and hairy?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The man who answered the door and brought us in here had weird hair."  
  
"Oh," Scott replied with dawning comprehension. "You mean Logan."  
  
"Who else lives here?" Xander added a moment later.  
  
Scott smiled. "Come on, I'll introduce you to some of the people who live here right now."  
  
"All right," Xander cheered, "let's go."  
  
And then they were off, following Scott down the hallways, stopping to knock on various doors.  
  
"Bobby?"  
  
"Yeah, Slim?"  
  
"Come out here, there are some people I want you to meet."  
  
"The people Logan let in?"  
  
"Just open the door," Scott growled impatiently.  
  
Bobby did just that and turned an appraising eye on the newcomers. "Hi, I'm Bobby Drake."  
  
Buffy returned the measuring glance. "I'm Buffy Summers and these are my friends Faith and Xander."  
  
"Pleased to meet you."  
  
"And you."  
  
"Buffy's my cousin," Scott explained dryly. "She's visiting from Cleveland." Bobby just nodded.  
  
"Have you introduced them to any of the others?" Bobby asked.  
  
"No, I was just going to do that."  
  
"Well don't let me stop you."  
  
Scott dragged the newcomers through the house, introducing them to countless people. Names flew by, Hank, a blue furred giant who was also a medical genius, Jean, Scott's wife, Ororo, Professor Xavier, and many others. Finally, they were down to their last few introductions of the day.  
  
"Logan," Scott called across the room.  
  
"What, Slime?" the short man growled back.  
  
"I wanted to introduce you to my cousin Buffy and her friends."  
  
"Nice ta meet ya," Logan growled.  
  
"Likewise," Faith growled back, shocking both Logan and Scott.  
  
"Faith!" Buffy scolded.  
  
"What?" the dark Slayer returned. "He started it."  
  
"She's got you there, Buffy," Xander threw in, adding his two cents.  
  
Faith stalked over to stand toe to toe with Logan. "Listen here, asshole," she growled. "I've seen and fought stuff scarier than you, we all have, and we're still standing. So stay the hell out of our way." And with that she gave him a push that sent him stumbling backwards and made his eyes widen at her strength.  
  
"Well chere, Gambit never dought he'd see somet'ing like dat happen to le Wolverine," a Cajun accented voice observed from the shadows.  
  
Scott watched as both girls swung towards the sound, trying to pinpoint the Cajun thief.  
  
"Come out and meet my cousin Buffy and her friends, Remy," Scott called.  
  
"Y'r cousin be de one threatenin' Logan?" the voice inquired.  
  
"No, that's Faith."  
  
"Den y'r cousin be de blonde one."  
  
"Yes Remy; her name is Buffy."  
  
During this conversation, Logan noted, the dark haired girl had moved to stand even with the blonde, almost as if they were protecting the boy.  
  
"So what's it going to be?" Faith asked suddenly. "Are you going to come out or am I going to have to find you?"  
  
"Y' dink you can find Remy, chere?" Remy questioned disbelievingly.  
  
"I know I can." Logan watched as the blonde reached over and squeezed the brunette's shoulder sharply.  
  
Without Logan's sensitive hearing he would not have picked up the brunette's reply. "Don't worry, B. I got it. You worry about Xander." The blonde nodded once, almost imperceptibly, in agreement.  
  
"Okay, what the hell is going on here?" Logan demanded.  
  
"Why don't you tell us?" Buffy returned., not taking her eyes off the shadows. Logan had been dismissed as a threat, but the disembodied voice had not, or at least not yet.  
  
Just then Hank walked in, breaking the tension. Buffy's eyes swung to him while Faith continued to scan the shadows.  
  
"He's gone, B."  
  
"Good."  
  
Observing the stand off, and Scott standing there dumbly, Hank commented, "Oh my."  
  
That seemed to snap Scott out of his daze and he quickly reintroduced Hank to the newcomers.  
  
"I'd like to do some blood work," Hank suggested, and both X-Men knowing what he was looking for, agreed with him.  
  
Reluctantly, the newcomers were dragged down to the lab for the procedure, and then set free to roam the grounds at their leisure.  
  
"So, B, what do we do?" Faith questioned.  
  
"Take Xander, find a possible escape route, so we'll know where it is if we need it. I'll stay here."  
  
"An suggestions?" Xander drawled.  
  
"Through the woods.  
  
"I got a better idea, B," Faith returned. "You take Xander and find the escape route , I'll try to find out voice."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Fine, but stay out of trouble."  
  
And without further comment the Scoobies split up.  
  
Twenty minutes later Buffy and Xander were back, escape route in proverbial hand.  
  
"So what now, Buff?" Xander queried.  
  
Split up, make friends. I'm going to talk to Scott."  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
"And if you see Faith keep her away from the short guy."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes. "Like that needed saying." But Buffy was already gone.  
  
Scott was surprised to find Buffy in his office when he returned, alone.  
  
"Where are your friends?"  
  
"Out exploring."  
  
  
  
"So why aren't you out exploring?" Scott returned.  
  
"Because we have to talk."  
  
Scott sighed. "So talk."  
  
"Will we be safe here?" Buffy demanded.  
  
Scott nearly choked. "Of course, the house has excellent security."  
  
"I'm sure it does, but ca I trust the people in the house?"  
  
"Yes," Scott answered without hesitation.  
  
"Good." And with that Buffy got up.  
  
"That's all?" Scott choked out.  
  
Buffy smiled mysteriously. "For now, at least."  
  
Meanwhile, Xander had discovered Bobby in mid-prank, on hairy guy no less, and joined in.  
  
After the prank was set Bobby asked, "Don't you like Logan?"  
  
Xander shrugged. "Faith doesn't and Faith's good at judging people for threat potential."  
  
"So's Logan," Bobby observed. "So what about you?"  
  
"Me?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Well, I usually hide behind Buff until the danger goes away."  
  
"Scott's cousin?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But she's so small."  
  
Before Xander could reply Logan let out a yell.  
  
"So what happens now?"  
  
Bobby grinned. "Now we run."  
  
"Well, I'm real good at that," Xander drawled, setting off sprinting.  
  
Faith was creeping around the mansion, following the scent of her disembodied voice. He was around here somewhere, but he was sneaky.  
  
Finally, she had him pin-pointed. With a little bit of work, and a hairpin, she unlocked the lock, running straight into him, and a strange card, glowing magenta.  
  
"How'd y' find Gambit, chere?" Remy demanded, charging down the card.  
  
"It wasn't that hard," she temporized. "I do it at home all the time." Which was true.  
  
Logan's yell across the house brought her head swinging around.  
  
"What is it, chere?" Gambit demanded.  
  
"Follow me, and be quiet," Faith returned, heading out in the direction of the sound. They met up with Buffy a few moments later.  
  
"Faith," Buffy scolded exasperatedly.  
  
"Wasn't me, B, not this time."  
  
"Implying that it will be you at another time."  
  
"Don't worry, B. When it's me I'll leave you enough for a positive ID," Faith returned.  
  
"What are we lookin' f', cheres?" Remy demanded.  
  
"Short and hairy," Faith replied shortly.  
  
Just then Scott appeared. "Logan's on the warpath. Apparently, Drake froze his pipes again, or something."  
  
Both Buffy and Faith relaxed for a moment, until Xander came running up, breathless.  
  
"Let me guess, you helped?" Buffy drawled.  
  
"Way to go, Xander," Faith cheered.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I should have brought Willow."  
  
"You wouldn't have had as much fun with Willow," Faith returned.  
  
"Willow also wouldn't be giving me an ulcer."  
  
"Perhaps …" Scott began.  
  
"Back to the office," Buffy finished. "I'll take care of him. You two, be good."  
  
Both Xander and Faith shot her angelic looks.  
  
"Like I believe that," Buffy muttered.  
  
"Come on, B. Live a little," Faith returned.  
  
"You're giving me grey hair and an ulcer, Faith. How does that qualify as living it up? Now go," her eyes shot to Remy and Scott, "and take them with you. They'll just be in the way."  
  
Faith laughed. "See you soon, B. Kick some ass."  
  
"Get going, F," Buffy returned sourly.  
  
While Faith led the rest of the gawping bystanders away Buffy slipped into Slayer mode.  
  
When Logan came upon her, blocking the hallway she was more than ready.  
  
"Move, little girl," He growled.  
  
"Not on your life," she returned.  
  
Figuring the time for words was over Logan promptly charged her, and just as promptly ended up on his back.  
  
"What the hell?" he demanded ad Buffy easily kept him pinned.  
  
Several tense minutes later Faith and Remy upon the scene, Buffy still holding Logan down.  
  
"What, Faith, think I couldn't handle it?" she demanded.  
  
"Naw, though you might like some help."  
  
"The day I need help for the likes of him is the day I hang up my stakes," Buffy ground out in reply, finally letting a calmer Logan up.  
  
"I'll remember that, B," Faith replied seriously.  
  
Remy could feel the jealousy emanating from Logan and attempted to move away from Faith. She moved with him, however, keeping him at least partially behind her.  
  
"What y' doin' chere?" Remy demanded, outraged. Faith didn't bother to reply.  
  
Logan growled low in his throat. Faith growled in reply.  
  
Buffy looked about ready to scream. "Enough, people. You are now going to behave like civilized human beings, and not the animals you obviously are."  
  
"And Faith, weren't you suppose to stay with Xander?"  
  
"That's what we got to talk about, B," Faith replies, fidgeting slightly.  
  
"Well spit it out."  
  
"Not in front of them," Faith returned.  
  
"Fine. "Buffy stomped off down the hall, Faith following.  
  
Neither Logan not Remy could actually hear what they were saying, a testament to how far away they had gone and how softly they were talking.  
  
A moment later both Buffy and Faith reappeared.  
  
"All right, gentlemen, to my cousin's office, and no powers."  
  
Reluctantly, Logan and Remy allowed themselves to be herded to Scott's office.  
  
Xander was sitting in the most defendable position in the entire room.  
  
"Now we have a problem," Buffy observed from the door.  
  
"And what would that be?" Scott replied calmly.  
  
"That you're all mutants and you didn't think to tell us," Buffy returned.  
  
"And what about you?" Logan growled. "Yer sure as hell not human."  
  
Buffy laughed shortly. "What I am is complicated."  
  
"And her?" Logan pointed at Faith.  
  
"also complicated."  
  
Scott rolled his eyes. "Try me."  
  
Buffy laughed. "Vampire Slayers."  
  
"Vampires don't exist," Scott returned.  
  
Buffy laughed sourly. "That's what you think."  
  
Just then Hank burst in. "Good, you're all here. I have just finished running the tests and it appears that you two are both mutants." He pointed at Faith and Buffy.  
  
"Further, Faith's genetic code contains some disturbing similarities to Logan's, leading me to believe that they are actually related, father and daughter to be precise," Hank finished.  
  
There was silence.  
  
Fin Part 2. 


	4. Chapter 3

Brave New World 3  
  
Authors: lirpa - liroa15@yahoo.ca  
  
shana  
  
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.  
  
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Marvel, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.  
  
A.N: I don't know very much about the X-Men comics. I own a few, but that's it. I'm apologizing in advance if we screw up the dialects. Just for the record I'm also a grammar freak so the dialects might not be as involved as they normally are.  
  
There have been some concerns raised that the characters are OOC. If you find this to be the case we apologize. It was never intentional and probably has more to do with our individual writing styles than anything else. The fact remains that the story is written and while minor revisions may be made during the editing and typing processes there is little I can do for the main idea at this point in time. In fact, this story was completely finished before anyone, besides my self and my co-author, saw the prologue. What I can do to make the characters more in character I will try to do, and if it helps, think of it more as the movie Wolverine. The only reason that the comics were needed at all was to bring Gambit into the story. So if it helps to place it in the movieverse, have at it.  
  
Questions and Answers to follow. This is where I'll answer your questions, and the questions anyone has. It's actually a kind of novel idea because I've never had to do this before.  
  
To Alec at ff.n. Yes, there is the issue that the papers would have been destroyed in the final battle. However, having lost my mother myself, when I was thirteen, I feel that Buffy's first priority would be to save anything that belonged to her mother. As for why it took so long, saving the world comes first always. Now she would have gone through her mother's financial papers fairly soon after Joyce's death, but that doesn't guarantee she'll go through Joyce's personal things. To me, it is quite plausible that in the beginning she would have put it off, not ready to confront whatever she imagined lurking in the papers. Eventually, with Dawn to care for and her death and revival all the way up to the end of season 7, I just don't believe that she'd have had the time.   
  
To CPTSkip at Twisting the Hellmouth, I'm sorry that you found the "meet and greet" to be a little flat. We  
  
were going for a kind of shocked feeling. Part of the remoteness may also be attributed to the initial awkwardness often experienced at first meeting. While Scott felt he knew Joyce quite well he'd never before had any contact with Buffy. And if that doesn't satisfy you I'd like to say that this is the first time either myself or shana has written either the Buffy or the X-Men characters so there's bound to be a few initial problems. Hopefully, they will all be worked out to your satisfaction.  
  
To Darklight at ff.n. While we believe that Logan's strength is considerable we also believe that Faith would have the edge, after spending several years fighting vampires and demons at least as strong as Logan. This is also why Buffy is able to pin him, in case you were wondering. Also, the Buffy crew do not yet know that the X-Men are, in fact, mutants The fact that Dr. McCoy is a mutant is fairly apparent. However, most of the mutants that we're dealing with look fairly human and could probably pass as human without close inspection We believe that Logan would not want to jeopardize any chance he had a pretending to be human and because of this his full strength is never used.   
  
To restive at Twisting the Hellmouth. Thanks for your support. We really appreciate it.  
  
To Prophetess of Hearts at ff.n. I'm glad you enjoyed it.  
  
To Plato at ff.n. As it stands, no Buffy is not paired up with anyone. We were, however, thinking about writing a sequel in which some more of these issues may be addressed, if the interest was there. If not, I feel confident in the way the story will end, as previously mentioned it is completed, and I have several other projects to devote my time to. I'm sure shana feels the same way.  
  
To Harry2 at ff.n. As it stands the story is written and there isn't all that much Buffy/Jean interaction, you'll see why in future chapters. Again, if the interest was present that might be something that could be worked into the sequel. I'm glad you enjoyed it.   
  
To nalaniangel at ff.n. I'm sorry that it confused you but that's simply the way I write. I won't speak for shana as these two chapters were mine, but how I write is something I cannot afford to compromise, it's what makes this story partly mine.  
  
lirpa  
  
Brave New World 3  
  
by lirpa and shana  
  
After a moment Xander cracked. "Well, that explains the temperaments."  
  
"I am not related to him!" Faith returned, almost screaming. "I refuse to be."  
  
Hank frowned. "Regardless, you are. Genetics does not lie, my dear."  
  
Logan swallowed. "Welcome to the family, kid."  
  
"I am not part of your family! This is absurd, I don't even know you. How can you be my father?"  
  
"Yer askin' me?" Logan shouted.  
  
"Well if you're really my father you would have been there."  
  
"It was a long time ago, Faith," Xander soothed. "The guy might have just forgot."  
  
"Shut up, Xander."  
  
"Shutting up."  
  
Faith turned to glare at all of them before stomping from the room, slamming the door behind her."  
  
"Well, Slim," Logan observed the carnage that was once Scott's office door, "looks like ya need a new office door."  
  
Scott rolled his eyes. "She's definitely your daughter, runt."  
  
"Mes amis, shouldn' we go after de femme?" Remy suggested.  
  
"Faith?"  
  
"Oui."  
  
"Why?" Buffy questioned. "You want to get in a fight?"  
  
"Non, chere."  
  
"Then leave Faith for now."  
  
Suddenly Xander spoke up. "Where's an apocalypse when you need one, huh?"  
  
"Apocalypse?" Scott nearly shouted.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes and let out an expressive sigh. "Yeah, you know, the end of the world."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yes, oh. We probably wouldn't have to do anything right now, she's that pissed."  
  
Hank cleared his throat. "I could double check the test results," he suggested hesitantly.  
  
"You do dat, mon ami," Remy agreed. "And Remy will go lookin' f' de femme."  
  
Buffy stared at him in shock. "Are you deaf? Trust me, she's better off alone right now. Let her blow off some steam."  
  
By dinnertime everyone in the mansion knew that Logan had a daughter, and those few who had seen Faith were busy sharing their impressions of the dark Slayer.  
  
"She doesn't look at all like him," Bobby stated. "And they didn't seem to like each other much."  
  
Both Buffy and Xander were uncomfortable in the gathering of mutants.  
  
Jean moved to Scott's side. "Your cousin looks uncomfortable, Scott," she noted. "And her shields are excellent, the boy's as well."  
  
"Strange."  
  
Jean only nodded.  
  
Meanwhile Ororo was watching both Remy and Logan closely. Logan didn't seem to know what to make of a full grown daughter landing in his lap. Remy seemed resigned to it.  
  
"So Logan," Storm began carefully, "where is you daughter?"  
  
Logan only shrugged and grunted in reply.  
  
"She not so happy dat le Wolverine's her papa," Remy explained. "She stormed out of Scotty's office like a bat out o' hell. Left de door in pieces too, Stormy." Remy's eyes twinkled with mirth.  
  
"She does realize that she's a mutant, doesn't she?" Storm pressed on.  
  
"Oui, but de femme don' believe."  
  
Storm closed her eyes. "That could present a problem."  
  
Remy actually laughed. "Oui, mon petite Stormy."  
  
"Didn't anyone go looking for her?"  
  
"Her amis dought it best to wait."  
  
"Friends?"  
  
"De Fearless Leader's cousin and de boy."  
  
"Logan's daughter is friends with Scott's cousin?" Storm queries disbelievingly.  
  
"Oui."  
  
"Goddess help us all then."  
  
Just then a dirty, wet, and tired Faith threw open the main door to the mansion. "B?" she called.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Scratch ten."  
  
A small smile twitched at the corners of Buffy's mouth. "Good."  
  
"Also, unknowns coming."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes theatrically. "Just great." Her eyes darted over to Xander, standing pretty much in Bobby's shadow.  
  
Buffy crossed the room to join Faith. "How many?" she whispered.  
  
"Two, tops," Faith whispered back. Logan focused on hearing this conversation.  
  
"Vampires?"  
  
"No, mutants probably. They set off the spidey sense, but not the same way."  
  
"Kinda like these people," Buffy finished for her.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Are they a threat?" Buffy demanded in an undertone.  
  
"No. Are these people?"  
  
"No, they're good people Faith, even your father."  
  
Faith snorted at that, promptly ending the whispered conference.  
  
"Hey girls," Xander called, "come over here."  
  
"In a minute, Xan," Buffy answered for them both, absently scanning the room. Most of the people from dinner had migrated into the foyer with faith arrival, or return.  
  
"Where's you cousin?" Faith demanded.  
  
Buffy shrugged. "Who knows? Who cares? He's on our side, Faith. Trust me."  
  
"I'm trusting a lot of people lately," Faith returned sourly. "I don't like it."  
  
Buffy sighed. "I know, but we do what we have to do."  
  
Just then the doorbell rang, scaring the living hell out of both Slayers and half the X-Men.  
  
A moment later, when no one had moved to answer the door, Xander asked, "Well is someone going to open the door?"  
  
Embarrassed, several X-Men rushed to do just that while Faith sidled up to Xander. "So, what have you learned, Xan?"  
  
  
  
Xander smiled. "These are the X-Men, Faith. They thought I knew or they wouldn't have told me."  
  
Buffy and Faith both looked at him disbelievingly. "No shit," Faith agreed.  
  
"Okay, okay," Xander defended himself. "I realize that was an incredibly obvious statement."  
  
"Well then you're halfway there," Faith teased.  
  
Jubilee stormed through the house, heading straight for Logan.  
  
"Wolvie!"  
  
Logan caught the young girl easily, which seemed to piss Faith off, though only her friends could tell.  
  
Emma Frost stood just inside the doorway. "Where's Scott?" she demanded.  
  
"Right her." And suddenly Scott was standing just behind Buffy, who didn't jump at the sound of his voice.  
  
"B?"  
  
"Yes, Faith?"  
  
"Let's get out of here."  
  
"'Kay. Where do you wanna go?"  
  
"Not out."  
  
"'Kay." And with that both girls started up the stairs as silent as they could manage, which was pretty damn silently.  
  
When Scott broke from his conference with Frost he looked for his cousin, only to see her nowhere in the room. Faith was also missing. The boy, Xander, was still there however.  
  
"That's strange," he muttered.  
  
"What's strange?" Emma all but demanded.  
  
"Oh, nothing," Scott temporized.  
  
"Looking for someone," she queried.  
  
"That's none of your business."  
  
Frost smiled. "Quite."  
  
Scott turned to watch Logan and Jubilee interact.  
  
"I wonder what she'll think of Logan's daughter," he mused to himself.  
  
"Logan has a daughter?" Emma asked skeptically.  
  
  
  
"Well, Hank is running the tests again but their personalities are enough to convince me. Nevertheless, the X-Men will take good care of Jubilee."  
  
Frost smiled coldly. "Of course." And with that she slipped out of the mansion and back to her car.  
  
"Where'd de femmes go?" Remy demanded, finally pinpointing who was missing from the room.  
  
"Buffy and Faith? They left not long after the other two showed up," Xander replied easily. Suddenly, the heard a tremendous crash upstairs.  
  
"What was dat?" Remy demanded.  
  
"Probably Faith, if they're fighting hand to hand. Anything else and it could be either one."  
  
Logan and Scott, with Jubilee tagging along, were all racing for the source of the crash.  
  
What they discovered was that Buffy and Faith had rearranged all the furniture on their rooms to give them as much room as possible to work with.  
  
"You okay, Faith?" Buffy panted.  
  
"You know it, B," Faith returned, spitting out a mouthful of blood.  
  
"Good," Buffy agreed as Faith came up swinging.  
  
"Wouldn't want to make this easy for you, B," Faith replied, landing a solid punch to the midsection that would have broken several ribs of a normal person.  
  
Neither Slayer notice the small crowd gathering at their door, or if they did they ignored them.  
  
"Holy sh-" Jubilee began.  
  
"Jubilee,: Logan growled warningly.  
  
"It's true," she argued, eyes glued on the fight, which was getting progressively faster, with both Slayers landing harder and harder blows.  
  
"Think we should tell them about the Danger Room, Slim?" Logan questioned, eyes never leaving the fight.  
  
"Probably."  
  
"Shouldn't we, like, stop them?" Jubilee suggested.  
  
"Probably," Scott agreed again.  
  
"Girls," Xander called above the loud buzz of whispered conversation.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You can stop now, you're scaring the locals," Xander joked.  
  
Buffy and Faith wound down, fully conscious of the multitude of eyes on them.  
  
"Don't you people have anything better to do?" Faith demanded acidly.  
  
"We heard a crash," Logan defended himself.  
  
"I'm only going to say this once, so listen close. I don't need you!" And with that Faith stormed through the crowd, which parted like the Red Sea.  
  
Buffy sighed. "Now you've gone and pissed her off again. Are you really that stupid?" Then she too stalked off.  
  
"Well, de femmes shouldn' have any problems in a fight, Remy dinks," Gambit stated.  
  
Xander laughed. "You don't know the half of it."  
  
It was Jean and Storm who found both Slayers out in the woods later that night.  
  
"You can come out," Buffy called. "We know you're there."  
  
Both mutants exited the cover with amazed looks on their faces.  
  
"How did you know we were there?" Jean demanded.  
  
"Spidey sense," Buffy shrugged.  
  
"Spidey sense?" Jean queried.  
  
"Yeah, you know how Spiderman can sense danger. It's like that."  
  
Jean frowned. "I've never heard of a mutant ability like that before."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "That's because it's not a mutant power."  
  
Neither mutant chose to comment on that statement.  
  
"What's wrong?" Storm questioned, trying to sound comforting.  
  
Buffy shrugged. "We're just having acceptance issues."  
  
"Acceptance issues?" Jean pressed.  
  
"Yeah." And after that Buffy refused to elaborate.  
  
Suddenly both Slayer started to attention.  
  
"What is it?" Jean asked, sensing the sudden tension in the air.  
  
"Something's wrong, back at the house." Without saying anything more both Slayers headed back to the house as fast as they could run.  
  
The front doors were blown in, twisted hunks of metal, when both Slayers arrived, well ahead of the X-Women.  
  
"What the hell happened here?" Faith demanded, taking in the devastation.  
  
No one answered.  
  
"Let's find Xander," Buffy commanded.  
  
"And the others?"  
  
"Xander is our first priority."  
  
"Gotcha," Faith agreed.  
  
Quickly and efficiently the Slayers worked in tandem, searching the house for the cause of the disturbance.  
  
"Well look, it's tin can man," Buffy observed, laying eyes on Magneto.  
  
"Don't you know who I am?" Magneto thundered.  
  
Buffy pretended to think. "No, and you know what? I really don't care."  
  
The look on Magneto's face was one of pure, unadulterated shock.  
  
"Hey, B?" Faith called.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Who's the metal freak?"  
  
"Don't know, don't really care either."  
  
  
  
"Good en-" Faith bit her tongue as they began to float.  
  
"What the hell?" Buffy demanded irritably.  
  
"We're floating, and flying."  
  
"I can see that, Faith," Buffy replied sourly.  
  
"You are in my magnetic shield," Magneto interjected arrogantly s they landed near a 'ship.  
  
"Okay," Buffy drawled, noticing Scott's unconscious body lying beside the airship. "What the hell is this?"  
  
Fin Chapter 3. 


	5. Chapter 4

Brave New World 4  
  
Authors: lirpa - liroa15@yahoo.ca  
  
shana  
  
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.  
  
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Marvel, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.  
  
A.N: I don't know very much about the X-Men comics. I own a few, but that's it. I'm apologizing in advance if we screw up the dialects. Just for the record I'm also a grammar freak so the dialects might not be as involved as they normally are.  
  
There have been some concerns raised that the characters are OOC. If you find this to be the case we apologize. It was never intentional and probably has more to do with our individual writing styles than anything else. The fact remains that the story is written and while minor revisions may be made during the editing and typing processes there is little I can do for the main idea at this point in time. In fact, this story was completely finished before anyone, besides my self and my co-author, saw the prologue. What I can do to make the characters more in character I will try to do, and if it helps, think of it more as the movie Wolverine. The only reason that the comics were needed at all was to bring Gambit into the story. So if it helps to place it in the movieverse, have at it.  
  
Questions and Answers to follow. This is where I'll answer your questions, and the questions anyone has. It's actually a kind of novel idea because I've never had to do this before.  
  
To MX at ff.n. I'm sorry that you couldn't find a single nice thing to say about our story. Obviously, Bambi never made a big impression on you as a child. To deal with your points in order I shall have you refer to the Author's Notes that begin every chapter. They don't change, things are only added. They state clearly that we don't have all that much experience dealing with the X-Men comic universe. They also state that it would probably be better for people who are easily offended by the fact that this story will not follow the comic continuum to think of it as a movieverse fic. As for Logan, much can be said on him. Again, had you read the Author's Notes included in the previous chapter you would have come across one dealing with Logan. Or perhaps that is to what you are referring? The fact remains that while Logan has had a great deal of experience fighting battles in the recent past he has not been forced to fight at a marked disadvantage. As you yourself pointed out he has more battle experience that most people on the planet, completely forgetting the amnesia associated with the Weapon X project. Also, Logan is placed at the disadvantage of trying to hide his nature, because while he knows Faith is not human the same cannot be said of Buffy. As for your rather scathing review of our characterization, I'm sorry you found the characters to be juvenile, but when dealing with stressful situations I've found that people often revert to the persona they are most comfortable with. To me this can easily be identified as the high school Buffy and friends that we witnessed in the first few seasons. Also, quite frankly, perhaps we simply see the characters in a different light than you do. The fact remains that the story is written, as previously stated, and if it simply offends you that much I would suggest that you avoid it in the future.  
  
To S.M at ff.n. Thank you for your kind review. We'll try to get more up as soon as possible.  
  
To JUSTME at Twisting the Hellmouth. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and leave a review. We're glad that you're enjoying it and we hope that it continues to entertain you.  
  
To Telperoswen at Twisting the Hellmouth. Thank you for the hug, after some of the reviews we've received it really brightened our day. We're glad you enjoyed the fic and we'll try to get more up as soon as possible.   
  
To Harry2 at ff.n. Thank you for all your reviews. I don't think there were any questions that I could answer, but if there are just point them out to me and I'll try my best. Again, thank you for all your support, it was much appreciated.  
  
To mar at ff.n. I'm sorry you don't like our story. Unfortunately the only recourse I can suggest to you is that you discontinue reading it. We feel that our work is neither trite nor random and we fully believe in both the story and its characters. We feel that the characters are as genuine as we could possibly write them and that none of the story is unbelievable. As for the blood test, it is our thought that the Slayers undertook such a venture to prove they had nothing to hide. The X-Men would naturally be interested in such a procedure because Faith was able to stop Logan, which would take a considerable amount of strength not present in a normal human being. Furthermore, while Faith and Buffy did mend some fences, so the speak, in the finale, they are by no means best friends. We believe that there would still be some natural antagonism between the two Slayers that only time will erase completely. That time has not yet elapsed, however. You are, however, entitled to your opinions and we will respect that, even if they differ from our own.   
  
lirpa  
  
Brave New World 4  
  
by lirpa and shana  
  
As they neared the airship, both Slayers began to struggle against the invisible bonds holding them.  
  
"Put us down, you metal head," Faith screamed, watching as Logan and Remy were thrown backwards. They'd been trying to reach the girls.  
  
"Faith, I think we've got bigger problems."  
  
"What, B?"  
  
"That's Xander floating in that bubble."  
  
Faith swung around, a difficult thing to accomplish if you've never been trapped in a floating bubble before. "Oh my God," she whispered, horrified.  
  
"I never should have brought him here," Buffy moaned.  
  
"Hey! You!" Faith called, drawing Magneto's attention to her at last.  
  
"What do you want, little girl?"  
  
"The world, but I'll settle for you putting us down, all of us."  
  
"Funny little girl." The bubbles containing the three visitors from Sunnydale, the bonds having transmuted into bubbles, floated into the open door of the airship.  
  
Magneto laughed as the doors slammed shut on his new, and amusing, captives. The pathetic rescue attempts of the X-Men only served to further amuse him. Magneto began to pull back, feeling as if he'd gotten what he'd wanted. He propelled himself into the airship, not opening the cargo doors that had closed on the others, but a different set, and sped it away from the X-Men's mansion.  
  
Magneto was not pleased, but surprised, to find the blonde and brunette girls working together to knock him down the moment he entered the area they were in. The young man, he'd also taken, stood calmly to the side of the fight, not terrified at all.  
  
"What Buff and Faith really want to know, metal head," his voice clear and unwavering, "is why you took us. It's not like we're even X-men."  
  
Magneto flung both, too strong, women off him. "I doubt that child. Both of these pretty young ladies are mutants."  
  
"I'm not some freaking mutant," Faith screamed.  
  
"You'll have to excuse her," Xander murmured, leaning down to talk to Faith. "She's having a bad week."  
  
"I can see that," Magneto muttered, bending over to offer Faith a hand up.  
  
Buffy broke in, after Faith was standing, "I hate to interrupt, but you didn't answer Xander's question from before. Why'd you take us?"  
  
"I'm afraid that you three were just the closest, and least defended, people on the battle field."  
  
"Great," Faith snapped. "Now will you let us go?"  
  
"I'm afraid I can't do that. You two young ladies, at the very least, are mutants."  
  
"We are not mutants," Buffy insisted calmly.  
  
"Then what are you?"  
  
"Vampire Slayers."  
  
"Vampires-"  
  
"Are real," Buffy interrupted.  
  
Magneto turned curious eyes on Xander. "And what are you?"  
  
"The Zeppo."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I'm just a normal, powerless, human."  
  
"And yet you stand up to those who are not?"  
  
"Well," Xander quipped, "it's kind of become a way of life."  
  
Magneto blinked, trying not to look like an idiot, and failing.  
  
"Hey, Tin-Head," Faith called.  
  
"My name is Magneto."  
  
"Fine, then, Magneto, where are we going?"  
  
"To my base."  
  
"Is that like your secret lair?" Xander queried.  
  
Magneto looked a little bit perplexed. "I suppose that it could be called that. I've never heard that before, however."  
  
"Cool. We're being abducted by and evil genius with a secret lair."  
  
Magneto did a double take, shocked at Xander's attitude.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"We've never been abducted by an evil genius and taken to his secret lair before."  
  
"It's not really a secret…"  
  
"You're ruining the mystique, Mr. Magneto."  
  
Magneto couldn't help but laugh. "You three are the most unique individuals I've ever met."  
  
"Why, thank you, Magneto," Faith murmured. She was busy examining the airship controls having worked her way around Magneto and through the open door behind him.  
  
"You are most interesting. Though you two need to accept that you are mutants."  
  
"Vampire Slayers are gifted with supernatural strength that only leaves when they die," Faith shot back.  
  
"But I died, and I still have my strength."  
  
Xander blinked. "So, ladies, that means that there is a chance…"  
  
"That we're mutants," Faith interjected before Xander could finish. She looked horrified. "Which means that guy could actually be my father."  
  
"Actually, Faith," Xander whispered, "it means that he probably is."  
  
"Damn it," Faith swore. "I really hate that idea."  
  
"Who is 'that man?'"  
  
Buffy answered for Faith. "My cousin calls him Logan."  
  
"My dear girl," Magneto replied, "I extend to you my most sincere sympathies."  
  
"Thanks Metal Head."  
  
"You are welcome, my dear."  
  
"My name is Faith."  
  
"Faith, then."  
  
"And you, my dear, who is your cousin?"  
  
"Well, I'm Buffy Summers, and my cousin is Scott Summers."  
  
"Heavens, you are the cousin of the formidable Cyclops."  
  
"Oh. Is that his name when he goes out and fights the evils of the world?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I just go by Buffy."  
  
Magneto laughed at that. "I will simply reiterate that you are the most unique people I've ever met."  
  
"You mean you believe us?"  
  
"I am not sure that I believe you, but what you say con not be easily discounted."  
  
"Thank God. Finally, some one with some sense. I mean people can shoot beans out of their eyes, but they won't believe in vampires?"  
  
"The people who shoot beams out of their eyes are down trodden upon by those who can not. My own experiences have shown me that mutants and humans can not exist together. One species must prevail, it is the only for one to survive."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Magneto continued to rant, "The humans try to destroy what they do not understand, they always have. They kill what they fear, and now they fear the mutants, and they kill the mutants, and it is the mutants who suffer. It is the mutants that they oppress and degrade, revile and fear. That they expect to obey their stupid laws. I have had it with human prejudices. I decided that there would not be another Holocaust. That it must be stopped before it occurred. And that I must be the one to stop it. No one else sees things clearly enough.  
  
I became a powerful leader, interested only in protecting mutants at any cost, yet the world still will not listen, still will not believe. And so I must fight, and do what needs doing. Not because I want to, but because I must," Magneto concluded passionately.  
  
Xander looked indignant. "First of all," he began. "Hitler was prepared to do whatever must be done to protect the German race from what he saw as a threat. There wasn't a real threat, but he sacrificed eleven million in the death camps to that end, six million of them Jews. But he honestly thought that he was doing what was necessary to protect his race. I didn't think that you fit that mold as well."  
  
Magneto looked outraged at the comparison. "I am…"  
  
"Acting just like a power hungry maniac. I'm sure that most of the people that you're trying to free don't even know why you're doing it. Most probably assume that you want the power that comes with leading the downtrodden into a new world by creating it from the ashes of the old one."  
  
"I never wanted…"  
  
"None the less that's the image that you've created for yourself. Some mutants even hate you because they think you draw unnecessary attention to them."  
  
"But…"  
  
"I'm not saying that there isn't a problem, or that if we don't do anything it will go away. I'm not saying that we can't live together and one species must die, but I am saying that to kill one species is to kill the other. Because on the most basic level we aren't humans and mutants, we're all people, and people need people. So, the people should be working together to deal with the problem."  
  
Everyone was looking at Xander, their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide.  
  
"Guys…" he started.  
  
"Xan, when did you learn all of that?" Buffy asked, recovering her senses first.  
  
"Well," he mumbled, "you know, from Wills mostly, but I kept up with what was going on. It was at first just incase we ever had to deal with anything like that when we we're fighting. I was afraid of a mutant vamp. Then, I just kind of got drawn in, and so I kept up to date on it."  
  
"Xander, man," Faith interrupted, "that was like too cool. How you knew all that stuff, you were having a Willow moment, and you really cared about all of it too. It was awesome."  
  
Three pairs of eyes became focused on Magneto, who had a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
"I am forced to conclude," he began, "that you do yourself a great disservice by calling yourself "the zeppo." I have met very few human beings with as much life and passion in them that stay true their beliefs. I have met very few people with that quality indeed. You have given me much to think on. And if you are a representative of human beings, I can finally hope that Xavier's silly dream may come true."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You are most welcome… Xander."  
  
"Oh, right. I'm sure that sounds pretty strange to you. It's actually short for Alexander, but I never go by my full name."  
  
"Then you are most welcome, Alexander."  
  
The airship chose that moment to begin to descend.  
  
"Where are we?" Faith asked.  
  
"We are at my base in Maine. Here we will wait for the X-men to come, as I'm sure they will. You are free to go with them when they arrive."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"It is the least I can do. I con only hope that you will continue to do with me as you have already done."  
  
"Be ourselves?" Buff asked.  
  
"No. Be three extraordinarily brace, gifted young people with the power to shape our future."  
  
"Well, that's a tall order," Xander quipped, trying to lighten the mood, "but we'll do our best."  
  
"Then I am sure that you will succeed. Now, if you'll follow me I'm sure that the X-men, and your relatives, will be here shortly."  
  
"You just had to remind me," Faith whined, causing Magneto to smile.  
  
"Perhaps you will not find the situation as terrible as you perceive when you both had been given time to adjust."  
  
"Not likely."  
  
Faith had barely gotten the words out, when the door they had just entered was blown open  
  
"Look my dears," Magneto drawled, "company has arrived."  
  
Scott ran up to Buffy. He glared at Magneto the whole time.  
  
"Buffy, are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, Scott. We're all fine. We might have actually hurt him with all that mutant strength."  
  
"You believe now?"  
  
"Thanks to the tin can."  
  
Scott looked perplexed. Magneto had succeeded where they had not. He had convinced them that they were mutants… and not vampire slayers.  
  
"So you're not vampire slayers?"  
  
"No, it's been decided that vampire slayers are mutants.:  
  
"Hey, Blue," Faith called out to Beast, "did you redo those tests?"  
  
"Indeed, I did. The results remained the same however."  
  
"I'm going to die," Faith moaned.  
  
"Uh, girls?"  
  
"What Xander?" Both Slayer returned.  
  
"I think we're all going to be dead if you don't do something."  
  
The Slayers pivoted, and ended up facing the open doors.  
  
"Hey, tin head?"  
  
"Yes, my dear?" Magneto replied, causing Logan to growl.  
  
"Is this place a residence?"  
  
"No, it's a lab."  
  
"Shit. I guess that's public enough of them." Faith reached down to pull a stake from her boot, as Buffy grabbed one from her small bag, which was acting as her hand bag, which Scott had kindly brought for her.  
  
"Xander?" Buffy called.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"See what you can do about those doors."  
  
Logan was growling. "Something don't smell right about them."  
  
"Well," Faith said, side stepping a charging vamps attack and shoving a stake through another's heart, "that would be because they're dead."  
  
"I'll explain later," Buffy yelled to Scott before joining the battle.  
  
At Xander's insistence, Magneto was moving the door back into place. This steamed the tide of approaching vampires.  
  
"How do you kill these things?" Logan growled.  
  
"Take off its head, stake it with wood through the heart, burn it, or put it in the sun, but it's dark right now so only the first three."  
  
Gambit's charged cards and Scott's eye beams started to incinerate vampires, Logan's claws beheaded them, and Buff and Faith continued to stake them,  
  
Twenty minutes later only ash remained where before there had been vampires  
  
"Well, those were vampires," Xander drawled. "I'd keep those doors up for a while, there could be more out there."  
  
"So what now?" Beast asked.  
  
"We're basically stuck in here until dawn. So, all of you play nice," Buffy ordered. Then she turned to Scoot, who was white.  
  
"Vampires! That means you slay them?"  
  
"Yeah. We're responsible for killing them and countless other evil nasties that come around to destroy this, that and the other."  
  
"Why you?"  
  
"I was chosen. And knowing what I know, I couldn't turn my back on the truth. So, I fight."  
  
Fini Chapter Four 


	6. Chapter 5

Brave New World 5  
  
Authors: lirpa - liroa15@yahoo.ca  
  
shana  
  
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.  
  
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Marvel, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.  
  
A.N: I don't know very much about the X-Men comics. I own a few, but that's it. I'm apologizing in advance if we screw up the dialects. Just for the record I'm also a grammar freak so the dialects might not be as involved as they normally are.  
  
There have been some concerns raised that the characters are OOC. If you find this to be the case we apologize. It was never intentional and probably has more to do with our individual writing styles than anything else. The fact remains that the story is written and while minor revisions may be made during the editing and typing processes there is little I can do for the main idea at this point in time. In fact, this story was completely finished before anyone, besides my self and my co-author, saw the prologue. What I can do to make the characters more in character I will try to do, and if it helps, think of it more as the movie Wolverine. The only reason that the comics were needed at all was to bring Gambit into the story. So if it helps to place it in the movieverse, have at it.  
  
Questions and Answers to follow. This is where I'll answer your questions, and the questions anyone has. It's actually a kind of novel idea because I've never had to do this before.  
  
To Darklight at ff.n. We find it improbable that most of the Council's records would be accessible by Magneto. The organization itself was a secret and it follows that its documents would also be secret. In addition, most of the documents would be in England and not America, which for the practical purposes of this story means that Mags is just going to have to trust the Slayers. In regards to the Council, we're hoping that the New Watcher's Council will be much nicer to the girls. The council may not have known that their Slayers were merely mutants as well. That wouldn't exactly be something you'd want a lot of people to know and the knowledge may have just died out over several generations. And, as you can see, the chapters are coming.  
  
To Prophetess of Hearts at ff.n. There is actually iron in everyone's blood, bound to the hemoglobin. It's what gives blood its distinctive red colour. We believe that Magneto would be able to manipulate this iron in much the same way that he would manipulate an iron rod and the like. Because of this we believe he'd be able to pick the girls up.  
  
To restive at Twisting the Hellmouth. Thank you for taking the time to review, and actually agreeing with our characterization. As you've probably guessed from my replies we've had some trouble satisfying everyone with our portrayals. We're very glad that you're enjoying the fic. As for the evil genius with a secret lair bit, only be kidnapped by the best. J  
  
To Harry2 at ff.n. Thank you for your suggestions on how to improve the characters, we've been informed (numerous times) that they don't seem to be quite right but no one could say quite why. Hopefully, with practise, any problems we encounter writing these characters shall disappear. As for the Rogue and Gambit relationship, neither my co-author nor I have a great deal of fondess for Rogue. Because of this it is unlikely that she will make any appearaances in our work, and if she does it will only be token. Scott and Logan have presented partcular problems at different times during the story to write and we hope that they turned out as best as may be expected. As for Faith's lack of creativity, I can only attribute that to a desire not to have the Slayers steal insults from one another and for each line of dialogue to be as original as it may. After a while we just sort of ran out of insults to use.  
  
To S.M. at ff.n. Thank you for your kind review. As you can see, here's the next chapter.  
  
To Eriee at ff.n. Again, thank you for taking the time to review, and to compliment the story. As you can see here is the next update.  
  
To lil badass at ff.n. Thank you for your review. It was very much appreciated.  
  
lirpa  
  
Brave New World 5  
  
by lirpa and shana  
  
"Truly an admirable undertaking," Magneto interjected.  
  
  
  
"Shut up, bub," Logan growled.  
  
"Hey, stop talking to my friends like that," Faith demanded.  
  
"He's not your friend," Logan denied easily.  
  
"He is if I say he is," Faith returned. "And I say he is."  
  
Logan only growled his anger, bringing a victory smirk to Faith's visage.  
  
"Can we stop this? It's so obvious you're related. You have all the same buttons."  
  
"Shut up, Xander," Faith growled. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get in touch with her Slayer sense and find out how many vampires still lurked in the compound.  
  
"B?"  
  
"Too many," Buffy replied wearily. "We'll just have to wait until they go to ground at dawn."  
  
"Are you sure?" Faith practically begged.  
  
"Yep, so sit down and be nice. And you can't ignore anyone either," Buffy returned.  
  
"I hate you."  
  
"No, you don't," Buffy rebuked. "And some day you'll thank me."  
  
"Well that day is not today," Faith replied sourly.  
  
Ignoring her Buffy joined Scott in the corner of the airship.  
  
"So, vampires?" he questioned weakly.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"And they try and kill you?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"And you kill them?"  
  
  
  
"Yep. And demons and nasties too."  
  
"And mutants?" Scott questioned nervously.  
  
"No, mutants are human too."  
  
Scott sighed. "The FOH wouldn't agree with you on that score."  
  
"That's because they're afraid and they're trying to take it out on us."  
  
"That doesn't make it right," Scott argued.  
  
"I never said it did. I only explained how it could be understandable."  
  
"Fine, but I don't have to like it," Scott grumbled.  
  
"No one really does, Scotty. That's the secret of it."  
  
*Several hours later, Dawn*  
  
"Well, that's it. Let's get out of here, B," Faith drawled.  
  
"You think he's just going to let us go?" Logan asked disbelievingly.  
  
"Of course he is, because he said he would."  
  
Logan only snorted, but the metal doors fell to the ground.  
  
"I hope we shall me again, Alexander Harris," Magneto spoke formally.  
  
Xander smiled slightly. "I'm sure we will Eric, in fact, I'll guarantee it."  
  
"Remember what I said," Magneto advised.  
  
"Only if you will grant me the same consideration," Xander replied formally.  
  
Magneto inclined his head slightly. "Of course."  
  
"Hopefully we shall meet again under better circumstances," now Magneto addressed the Vampire Slayers and Xander.  
  
Faith dragged the reluctant Magneto into a hug. "Don't be a stranger," she whispered into his ear. Logan growled in the background.  
  
Faith let go of Magneto and Buffy stepped into her place. "Take care, metal head. Some day we'll meet again and then we'll see how much we've both learned." Then she let him go.  
  
"Come on, Scott. It's time to go home," Buffy commanded.  
  
While the X-Men sent distrustful looks in Magneto's direction they headed towards the Blackbird. Only when they were inside did everyone breathe a collective sigh of relief.  
  
"Why are you so worried?" Faith asked, relaxing into one of the plush chairs on the Blackbird.  
  
"Magneto is a dangerous enemy," Scott explained.  
  
"Your enemy. He likes Xander, B, and me. Thinks we're unusual and amusing. I blame Xander."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes. "Says the Vampire Slayer."  
  
"Hey, it's a Calling."  
  
"With no benefits," Buffy added, bringing a chagrined look from Scott.  
  
"Do mutant terrorists get benefits," Buffy asked.   
  
  
  
"A few. We have our own med lab, which you've seen, and Xavier's money eases the way for us somewhat."  
  
"Lucky you."  
  
Hank already had the Blackbird in the air, heading back towards Salem, New York.  
  
Faith sat in her comfy chair, pretty much twiddling her thumbs. Xander and Remy were involved in a conversation, of sorts, and Buffy and her cousin were discussing something, probably vampire slaying, quietly, too quietly for Faith to hear.  
  
Logan sat down next to his daughter, trying to evaluate her mood.  
  
"How are you, kid?" he queried.  
  
"Fine," she growled.  
  
"The bastard didn't hurt ya, did he?"  
  
Faith laughed. "Of course not. Mags and I get along great."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because he doesn't try to bullshit me, People have been trying to pull the wool over my eyes for years, and it's never worked. I imagine he felt the same."  
  
"I doubt that," Logan growled.  
  
"Well I don't. What I want to know is why you're here."  
  
"Someone had to go?" Logan temporized.  
  
Faith rolled her eyes. "Obviously, but why you?"  
  
Logan shifted uncomfortably before answering. "My healing factor allows me to get injured fairly badly and still come out of it fine. Besides, my claws are damn effective weapons."  
  
"Okay, I'll buy that, even though your claws are metal. What I wouldn't give for a weapon that no one could take away from you." She sighed dreamily.  
  
  
  
"It's not all it's cracked up to be," Logan replied sourly.  
  
"Maybe not for you, but I could have used them when I first started out slaying."  
  
Logan shifted again and growled absently. "I wasn't born with them. Some sick freak fused liquid adamantium to all my bones in an experiment."  
  
"Why you?" Faith asked, genuinely interested.  
  
"Because my healing factor would keep me alive. And it did," Logan replied shortly.  
  
"Oh."  
  
There was an awkward silence between both father and daughter for a few tense moments, neither knowing exactly what to say as the Blackbird slowly descended.  
  
"Here we are," Scott commented loudly, in an attempt to break the tension. And it worked.  
  
"You're a good kid," Logan declared gruffly, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"No, I'm not. But you're getting there," Faith replied.  
  
"Getting there? What's that mean?" Logan demanded.  
  
They all entered the X-mansion, leaving Logan's question unanswered, to be greeted by one Charles Xavier.  
  
"Scott," he began, "there is a call that came from a Rupert Giles waiting for you. Since I sensed your presence, I asked him to hold."  
  
"Giles," Buffy breathed.  
  
"Damn," Xander swore. "I guess that means it's back to saving the world. Roadtrip's over."  
  
Scott lead their three visitors to his office, so that they could receive their call in peace. Scott made his way down into the foyer, where most of the X-men were still gathered.  
  
"Scott?" Xavier asked.  
  
"He didn't phone to talk to me. He needed to talk to my cousin and her friends."  
  
"May I ask why?"  
  
"The world is ending apparently."  
  
"That is a most disturbing statement, but I am afraid that I have to deploy the team anyway."  
  
"With de femmes, non?" Gambit asked.  
  
"No, Gambit. To Cleveland. Cyerbro has detected Apocalypse in that area."  
  
The assembled X-men fell silent when the visitors descended the stairs, Buffy in the lead. She approached her cousin, head held high with a determined glint in her eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry Scott," she whispered in his ear. "We have to go." She embraced him tightly, mindful of her strength, and turned to leave.  
  
"Buffy, wait," Scott called, causing the blonder slayer to turn and her friends to pause.  
  
"Yeah Scott?"  
  
"Where are you going? Maybe we can give you a lift?" Scott offered, ignoring Xavier's frown.  
  
"Cleveland. There's an Apocalypse going on there."  
  
"Indeed," Charles agreed. "Apocalypse is in Cleveland."  
  
"Not Apocalypse, like the guy you fight, but the apocalypse as in the end of the world, Baldy," Faith snapped.  
  
"It's settled than," Scott announced, "since we're going to Cleveland to fight our Apocalypse, we'll drop you off so you can fight yours."  
  
"And let's hope that the forces of evil haven't ganged up with this guy," Xander muttered,  
  
"Xander," Buffy and Faith screamed at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You should know better than to say things like that after seven years."  
  
"All right, all right."  
  
"The boy-" Xavier began  
  
"Whose name is Xander," interrupted said "boy."  
  
"Xander," Xavier continued. "has a point. If two forces of great evil are close together then it is possible that they could join forces/"  
  
"Didn't want to hear that, baldy," Faith growled.  
  
  
  
Scott sighed, irritated. "If we don't hurry there won't be a world to save.'  
  
As if everyone just realized that they were wasting time, they sprinted towards the Blackbird,  
  
As soon as everyone was seated, Scott and Storm launched the Blackbird, and they started towards Cleveland. Buffy phoned Giles to get more information about everything that was happening and what could be expected when they landed,  
  
"The vampires and demons," he told her, "are working with some big monster calling himself Apocalypse. Nothing we've tried against him has worked. Even the most powerful magiks have had no effect. We have managed to eliminate most of his helpers however. His magikal and physical immunity hasn't spread to them yet."  
  
"Shit," Buffy swore after Giles was done. "I'll phone when we get there."  
  
She hung up and tuned to look at everyone in the jet. "Apocalypse has joined up with the traditional dark forces. That means that we're all in deep shit. Magik doesn't work on this Apocalypse dude," Buffy concluded dully.   
  
This comment drew a wince from Xander and Faith.  
  
"Scott's eyebeams do," Logan responded. "But he's immortal, so the best we can hope for is to stop him."  
  
"Damn it," Faith growled. "Why do all the evil guys have to be practically invincible?"  
  
There was a strained silence in the Blackbird when it landed, and on the trip to meet with the others that followed.  
  
"Okay," Buffy muttered, breaking the solemn silence. "So where is this guy supposed to appear tonight?"  
  
Giles supplied a location and Buffy continued mentally planning with the information at hand.  
  
"We should take out as many of his followers as we can before he appears," she concluded.  
  
Scott nodded.  
  
"Let's go then," Buffy called out. "And Xander…"  
  
"I know, Buff. Try to stay out of trouble."  
  
"X-men, move out," Scott ordered a second later.  
  
The two teams raced to the specified location to find a huge gathering of vampires and demons.  
  
Gambit immediately began throwing charged cards at the vampires, and Storm was calling down lightening to strike several of the larger nasties. And it might not have killed them, but it did distract them enough for Buffy and Faith too. Logan had beheaded several, and Scott blasted a few in the first few moments of the battle. Scott was careful not to do too much because he had to save himself for the fight with Apocalypse that was coming.  
  
The slayers and their core group were doing well, all still breathing, and having accounted for well over two dozen nasties. Willow and Giles were quite lethal with magik and weapons, and even Xander was doing fairly well.  
  
When the time came for Apocalypse to appear, there were only about two dozen of the forces of darkness left standing. Thought o be fair, some had fled. Apocalypse appeared, but about five minutes after he was scheduled to.  
  
"Hey ugly," Buffy called up to the towering figure, "ever heard of being on time."  
  
"Now, Slim," Logan called across the battlefield, pitching his voice so that it would carry. The voiced roughed by the exertions of battle got Scott's attention and his optic blast pushed Apocalypse bad a mere moment later.  
  
"Wills, Giles, now," Xander called. The scoobies had suggested that magik might work on Apocalypse if he was distracted by an attack that he viewed as a threat, by Scott's attack. The X-men had agreed to give it a try.  
  
Willow and Giles began to chant rapidly, and loudly, in a different language. They soon were encased in am off white glow that spread out from them to surround Apocalypse, who was still trying to remove Scott from the equation. It brightened until it was blinding, and when the assembled warriors blinded to clear the light from their eyes, they found Apocalypse was gone.  
  
"Y' killt Apocalypse," Remy finally managed, awe in his heavily accented voice.  
  
"Naw," Xander responded, rather flippant about the whole thing after this long, "they just moved him, and maybe stopped him from returning to Earth."  
  
"Maybe," Giles muttered to emphasize the point, wiping at his forehead with the back of his hand as he did so. The rest of the other vampires, demons, and assorted hellish creatures had disappeared as well. They had either fled or been caught up in the parameters of the spell.  
  
"That leaves only one question," Scott said tiredly.  
  
"What?" Faith asked, just as tiredly, leaning against something that looked like it might have been a support pillar in a warehouse at some point in its history.  
  
"If the three of you are coming back with us or staying here?"  
  
"I'm going," Faith announced. "Going to get to know this family I inherited."  
  
"I'm going too," Buffy added, taking in the shocked expressions of Willow and Giles. "With Dawn in England and tons of Slayers I'm not really needed. Besides, I'd like better control over my strength."  
  
"I'm in too," Xander commented dryly. "Magneto still owes me a discussion, so I'll have to track him down."  
  
"You know, Xander," an exhausted looking Bobby commented, "you're crazy."  
  
"Why thank you."  
  
The groups was still laughing as they headed toward the Blackbird after a set of tearful good-byes. But no one was terribly upset, after all they were heading towards a new chapter in all of their complicated lives.  
  
Fini Chapter Five 


	7. Epilogue

Brave New World Epilogue  
  
Authors: lirpa - liroa15@yahoo.ca  
  
Shana- delliah33@hotmail.com  
  
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.  
  
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Marvel, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.  
  
A.N: I don't know very much about the X-Men comics. I own a few, but that's it. I'm apologizing in advance if we screw up the dialects. Just for the record I'm also a grammar freak so the dialects might not be as involved as they normally are.  
  
There have been some concerns raised that the characters are OOC. If you find this to be the case we apologize. It was never intentional and probably has more to do with our individual writing styles than anything else. The fact remains that the story is written and while minor revisions may be made during the editing and typing processes there is little I can do for the main idea at this point in time. In fact, this story was completely finished before anyone, besides my self and my co-author, saw the prologue. What I can do to make the characters more in character I will try to do, and if it helps, think of it more as the movie Wolverine. The only reason that the comics were needed at all was to bring Gambit into the story. So if it helps to place it in the movieverse, have at it.  
  
Brave New World Epilogue  
  
by lirpa and shana  
  
Faith and Buffy,  
  
I am most saddened to have to inform you that Alexander has passed on. He was, in fact, murdered.  
  
We were attending a conference in the Southern United States, Alexander had been asked to speak. They held him up as a model of how humanity should truly be. He was in the middle of his speech, I'm most certain that you've seen a few on the news, when it happened. His speeches, they are speeches that truly have the ability to change the world. In fact, they already have, but enough about that.  
  
I was sitting beside Alexander, on the stage when a man, though I was told his name, I have forgotten it, jumped up and started screaming about the survival of the human race. Security was closing in on him, when he pulled a gun out of his jacket. He brandished the weapon dangerously, sweeping it around the room. Finally, the gun settled on me and the man's eyes became crazy, he started to shout again. Things after that become a bit of a blur.  
  
I now know that Alexander dove from the podium where he was speaking and placed his body in front of mine. I now also know that the beast, no offense to Dr.McCoy, fired two shots and both hit Alexander in the back.  
  
Never have I wished more strongly than I did at that moment that Alexander had a stronger than normal healing factor. Never did I wish more religiously that he was not a normal human, not the "zeppo" of your group. However, these wishes were in vain. The doctors were unable to save his precious life.  
  
I was with Alexander when he passed out of this world, staying coherent to the last, and I thought that you would like to know that his last words were, "Keep fighting the good fight." I think that those words were intended for you two as much as me.  
  
It took me a long time to figure out why I didn't think to use my powers to stop the bullets. And I have come to the realization that I was simply to surprised, partly at the actions of the man and partly because of the situation and the actions of Alexander. I have encountered many thing travelling with him but this was the first fanatical human with a gun. Unfortunately, my inability to act cost Alexander his life add I am deeply sorry.  
  
Alexander never stopped fighting the forces of darkness, not those he found in his childhood nor those he found in the world at a later time. He never stopped helping people. I believe that his actions in the three years since he left Xavier's school to help me, his own quest, would have made you proud. They most certainly invoked that feeling in me.  
  
I was planning on stopping by Xavier's to get your input on a monument that I have plans to build. Alexander should he remembered as the hero he was. Indeed, Alexander was the hero of normal people, and he motivated them in a way that no one else could. However, if you don't want me to stop by, for whatever reason, simply say so. There are other ways for me to gather the input required to make a suitable memorial to a heroic man.  
  
I hope that you are both happy with your families at Xavier's, as would have Xander, but I wanted you to know, as Alexander would have said, "My door is always open."  
  
I have also written to Willow and Giles in Cleveland to let them know. There will be a memorial service, but I am a little confused as to what Alexander's last wishes are. I had him cremated and am waiting for you input as you knew him best.  
  
Again, my most sincere apologies that I was unable to save him. He truly was the most heroic man that I have ever met. In him I saw hope for the world. It is a hope that I will struggle to keep alive. I will see Alexander's dreams become reality.   
  
My most sincere apologies and deepest regrets,  
  
Magneto.  
  
Buffy let the letter fall from her hand and onto Xavier's polished hardwood floor.  
  
"What's wrong, Buffy?" Scott asked, taking in her pale and trembling form.  
  
"Xander's dead. Some psycho with a gin shot at Magneto and he put himself between Magneto and the bullets."  
  
The glass Faith had been holding when she walked into the room, in time to hear that last bit, slid through her fingers and shattered on the floor. "Xan's dead. Oh my God…"  
  
Scott held out his arms and Buffy fell into them sobbing. Logan wrapped his arms around his daughter, smelling the sadness on her. The tears were silently making their way down Faith's face.  
  
The Slayer's eyes met and in them was the promise of revenge, and they knew just were to look to get the help needed to achieve that goal.  
  
Fini Brave New World 


End file.
